Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Kylian Mbappe has joined the club to star in important matches such as Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match against German giants Bayern Munich.
Arbeloa said Mbappe was an essential part of the team, although questions remain over whether record 15-time winners Madrid can find the right balance with all its biggest names on the pitch at the same time.
French superstar Mbappe, the club’s top scorer, did not feature in either match in the last-16 tie against Manchester City, which Madrid won impressively, due to a long battle with a knee sprain.
Fit again, Arbeloa indicated that Mbappe was likely to partner Vinicius Junior in attack at the Santiago Bernabeu against Bayern in the first leg of the quarter-final.
«I am happy to have such a problem, to have excellent players at my disposal and to have a player like Kylian Mbappe, who came to Real Madrid for games like tomorrow and for knockout games like this,» Arbeloa told reporters on Monday.
“I am sure we will see Kylian at his best and leading the team the way he has always known, and I have a lot of confidence in all the players.”
England international Jude Bellingham is also finding his way back to fitness after injury and Arbeloa said he would continue to bet on the side’s stars if they are available.
Young midfielder Thiago Pitarch and attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz played an important role against City, but in the match against Bayern they may get less time on the field.
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“Obviously Mbappe has different characteristics and circumstances than Brahim, so we have to play in a different way, but I am very happy with this problem,” Arbeloa said.
“Just like you mention Bellingham and other great players I have available, it’s a blessing for me to be able to count on everyone…” he continued.
«It’s an extraordinary stroke of luck to have a player like Mbappé in the squad. I don’t know if there’s a coach in the world who wouldn’t want him.»
«I put myself in the shoes of the defenders who are playing against Real Madrid and going up against Mbappe, Vinicius, Valverde, Bellingham… I think they are some of the best players in the world.»
‘Incredible’ connection
Brazilian winger Vinicius said he was working well with Mbappe despite some believing the match is not good for Madrid.
«People talk a lot… ‘Kyli’ is here to help us, he has always given us confidence, he scores the goals for us, we have to be connected tomorrow, especially with the fans and all the players,» he told reporters.
«It’s a difficult match in which the best players make the difference, and Kyli is one of them. I have an incredible bond with him, not only on the pitch, but also off it.»
Vinicius promised Madrid will be at their best against Bayern after a poor performance in La Liga on Saturday when they lost 2-1 to Mallorca to leave them seven points behind leaders Barcelona.
“There are days when we are more or less connected, and that happened against Mallorca,” the forward explained.
“We came out of the international break and today, as the coach said, if we are not at 200 percent, we are not going to win games.
“I hope we’ll be there tomorrow because it’s an important day for us.”
Vinicius said Madrid will look at their best against Bayern after a shock loss to Mallorca this weekend. | Photo credit: REUTERS
Vinicius said Madrid will look at their best against Bayern after a shock loss to Mallorca this weekend. | Photo credit: REUTERS
The winger, who has become a leading figure in the fight against racism, also spoke out about the Islamophobic chants during Spain’s friendly against Egypt last week, which criticized Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal.
«It is important that Lamine speaks and that can help people,» said Vinicius, who claimed he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni in a Champions League match in February, which the Argentine denies.
“I am not saying that Spain, Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, especially in Brazil, in many countries there are racists.
«But if we continue this fight together, I believe that new players in the future will not have to suffer from these things, and especially people in general.»
Published on April 6, 2026
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